Book Review: The Infinity Puzzle

Physicist Frank Close gives us an inside view of how 20th century physics got …

The Infinity Puzzle sounds like one of those wooden gadgets that you can play with for a few minutes before wanting to hurl it across the room in frustration, but the infinity puzzle of this book's title actually refers to a mathematical quandary that stumped particle physicists for the first half of last century. The story of how physics moved beyond this roadblock has now been told by Frank Close, a distinguished theoretical physicist as well as a very apt storyteller.

Close's book is subtitled Quantum Field Theory and the Hunt for an Orderly Universe, and it tells the story of how that field came into existence. By the 1930s, Quantum Electrodynamics (or QED), had provided a beautiful and elegant theory explaining how light interacts with atoms. However, upon closer scrutiny, the equations predicted that the chances of certain occurrences were infinite. As Close summarizes it:

In the context of the questions that the scientists were posing, the answer was nonsense. When this happens it is usually a hint that you have made some catastrophic error… For physicists, infinity [italics his] is a code word for disaster, the proof that you are trying to apply its theory beyond its realm of applicability.

The Infinity Puzzle is eminently readable. It has no equations—only a few Feynman diagrams—and a glossary in the back so you don’t get your bosons confused with your hadrons. (Bosons are particles with an integer amount of spin, and hadrons are particles made of quarks and/or antiquarks, so they feel the strong force. Leptons have a spin of ½ and don’t feel the strong force. That's a hint of how effective the glossary is.)

All of the luminaries of twentieth century particle physics are here, along with many unsung heroes whose contributions Dr. Close explains and puts into context so they can be better appreciated by a public hitherto ignorant of their work.

Aptly for a book whose culmination is in the quest for the God Particle (aka the Higgs Boson), the two sections of the tale are entitled "Genesis" and "Revelation." In "Genesis," Dr. Close tells us how the infinity puzzle was solved in QED and by whom, and how it reared its ugly head in theories of the weak and strong forces, but was quashed there as well.

In "Revelation," he goes on to relate the amazing advances particle physicists have made up to now, focusing on experiments that have confirmed what theory had predicted. He also spends quite some time discussing who took credit for whose work, and who, in his opinion, was cheated out of a Nobel Prize (spoiler: it’s Bjorken, the theorist whose ideas were repeatedly confirmed by experimentalists who walked away with The Prize.)

"Revelation" concludes by explaining the importance of the ongoing experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. Physicists hope to find evidence of the Higgs Boson, a particle that theory has posited, but we've not yet observed. In addition to helping unify the electromagnetic and weak forces with the strong force—no small feat—direct observation of the Higgs Boson could explain how and why matter arose from energy immediately after the Big Bang; it could explain Life As We Know It.

It would confirm the idea that there is a fundamental, perfect symmetry in the Universe, but that it was broken or hidden by the same mechanism that created mass—a mechanism that created every thing, including us.

This last section in particular will appeal to those philosophers—and kabbalists—who lose sleep over the Big Questions: Why are we here? How did we get here? Is this the only possible reality? But the entire book is a very manageable introduction to quantum physics for those who are interested in, but possibly intimidated by, understanding the inner workings of the fabric of our Universe.

The infinities are there because we assumed particles were points, I think.

But I also think it's equally absurd to call them "strings" because then you have to ask "What is the string made of?"

The only way out of infinity or infinite recursion of "And what's inside the xyz particle?" is that spacetime has a fractal structure scaled by quantized energy. Every particle is defined by it's specific quanta of energy and how spacetime responds at or around plank scale to that specific amount of energy.

/Crackpot rant =P

P.S. And no, you're not allowed to randomly add extra dimensions just to make your math work. I'm not against them entirely but how about some rhyme and reason, hmm?

The infinities are there because we assumed particles were points, I think.

Having gotten the book for Christmas and just finished it, that's part of it, yes.

Some things, such as electrons, the more you "zoomed in", the more smaller space the electron charge takes up, and the density of the charge went higher. (Note: Almost certainly using the wrong terminology there; tired, and the vicodin is kicking in... Read the book for the correct terminology.)

In other parts of physics, the more you "zoom in", the more diffuse the subject becomes, which caused other issues.

But those weren't the only types of infinities talked about. Close does a very good job of presenting the history of QFT, though I disagree with the statement that there are "no equations". There are actually quite a few, but they're not necessary for the reader to understand those equations to understand the book.

I found out about the book, and added it to my Amazon wish list, because of the Not Even Wrong physics blog at:

I will definitely get this book. Though I doubt I'll understand more than half of it, it seems to be trying to provide answers for some of the questions I have. They may not be the right answers (or maybe they are), but I'd rather have information and not need it than need it and know that I never looked for it. A stepping stone is always appreciated, I guess.

The only way out of infinity or infinite recursion of "And what's inside the xyz particle?" is that spacetime has a fractal structure scaled by quantized energy. Every particle is defined by it's specific quanta of energy and how spacetime responds at or around plank scale to that specific amount of energy.

Wow, a new pop science book available on Kindle in New Zealand at the time of release. Finally an author/publisher with a clue. Purchased.

Unfortunately it's not available in Aussie To make things worse, I'm a Kiwi! *sigh*

Hah. The only time I ever pirate ebooks is if I find one I want that's available in other countries but not my own. If you make it hard or impossible to give you my freaking money then I guess you really don't want it.

Wow, a new pop science book available on Kindle in New Zealand at the time of release. Finally an author/publisher with a clue. Purchased.

Unfortunately it's not available in Aussie To make things worse, I'm a Kiwi! *sigh*

Hah. The only time I ever pirate ebooks is if I find one I want that's available in other countries but not my own. If you make it hard or impossible to give you my freaking money then I guess you really don't want it.

Uh, what? It's impossible to order from overseas? If I can order a part from France, I'm sure you chaps can order from the closest distributor?

Wow, a new pop science book available on Kindle in New Zealand at the time of release. Finally an author/publisher with a clue. Purchased.

Unfortunately it's not available in Aussie To make things worse, I'm a Kiwi! *sigh*

Hah. The only time I ever pirate ebooks is if I find one I want that's available in other countries but not my own. If you make it hard or impossible to give you my freaking money then I guess you really don't want it.

Uh, what? It's impossible to order from overseas? If I can order a part from France, I'm sure you chaps can order from the closest distributor?

Wow, a new pop science book available on Kindle in New Zealand at the time of release. Finally an author/publisher with a clue. Purchased.

Unfortunately it's not available in Aussie To make things worse, I'm a Kiwi! *sigh*

Hah. The only time I ever pirate ebooks is if I find one I want that's available in other countries but not my own. If you make it hard or impossible to give you my freaking money then I guess you really don't want it.

Uh, what? It's impossible to order from overseas? If I can order a part from France, I'm sure you chaps can order from the closest distributor?

Wow, a new pop science book available on Kindle in New Zealand at the time of release. Finally an author/publisher with a clue. Purchased.

Unfortunately it's not available in Aussie To make things worse, I'm a Kiwi! *sigh*

Hah. The only time I ever pirate ebooks is if I find one I want that's available in other countries but not my own. If you make it hard or impossible to give you my freaking money then I guess you really don't want it.

Uh, what? It's impossible to order from overseas? If I can order a part from France, I'm sure you chaps can order from the closest distributor?

What the fucking fuck are you talking about?

Buy, not pirate. I can't make it any plainer than that.

Holy shit, have you suffered some kind of major brain injury or something? Let me make this clear - I WILL TRY TO PURCHASE YOUR STUFF. IF YOU DON'T LET ME, THEN I'LL PIRATE IT.

Wow, a new pop science book available on Kindle in New Zealand at the time of release. Finally an author/publisher with a clue. Purchased.

Unfortunately it's not available in Aussie To make things worse, I'm a Kiwi! *sigh*

Hah. The only time I ever pirate ebooks is if I find one I want that's available in other countries but not my own. If you make it hard or impossible to give you my freaking money then I guess you really don't want it.

Yeah exactly. I'm actually really interested in getting this book, but now I either wait or hope for a ripped torrent. *sigh*

Wow, a new pop science book available on Kindle in New Zealand at the time of release. Finally an author/publisher with a clue. Purchased.

Unfortunately it's not available in Aussie To make things worse, I'm a Kiwi! *sigh*

Hah. The only time I ever pirate ebooks is if I find one I want that's available in other countries but not my own. If you make it hard or impossible to give you my freaking money then I guess you really don't want it.

Yeah exactly. I'm actually really interested in getting this book, but now I either wait or hope for a ripped torrent. *sigh*

Someone spent so many hours of effort to produced a book and we are here to talk about piracy. It's only $14 USD for Christ sake.

The only way out of infinity or infinite recursion of "And what's inside the xyz particle?" is that spacetime has a fractal structure scaled by quantized energy. Every particle is defined by it's specific quanta of energy and how spacetime responds at or around plank scale to that specific amount of energy.

Do you even know what that means?

It's just my pet idea (I'm probably not the only one who thought of it though). We keep on splitting particles into other particles and there always seems to be more inside. And if we say, "Well it's a geometric point, there's nothing inside a point!" We get infinities. The only thing I can think of that can keep being "zoomed in on" forever is a fractal. It's been proven that energy is quantized. So, I think the specific energy the "particle" has, combined with a fractal structure for the laws of physics would determine the properties of the "particle."

It would probably mean that the laws of physics would show a repeating self similarity at higher energy levels. So, then, after the forces unify, the should diverge again.

Meh, it's just a hunch. I think there's a fractal in there somewhere!!! lol

No, it's not. THAT name would at least make it clear its a joke. "God Particle" gives it an aura of importance that it simply shouldn't have.

Well, that's a possibility. Or perhaps you constrain yourself to a primitive/childish conceptualization of God; a small "g" god of the type that Dawkins seems inordinately perturbed by.

But of course what really chafes Dawkins' chaps is that, while he rightly rails against the obvious idiocy of the ignoramus who claims to be "doing the will of god", he finds himself incapable of mounting anything approaching a deeply & well reasoned refutation of Gods' possible existence.

In fairness, he's a biologist, and untrained in the disciplines of thought demanded of a decent philosopher or theologian. He's betrayed, though, by hubris, and is too enamored of his own intellect to recognize that he really doesn't have all the answers. No one does, eh?

I will definitely get this book. Though I doubt I'll understand more than half of it, it seems to be trying to provide answers for some of the questions I have. They may not be the right answers (or maybe they are), but I'd rather have information and not need it than need it and know that I never looked for it. A stepping stone is always appreciated, I guess.

Agreed. And have you ever noticed how a good answer inevitably leads to a few more good questions?